Monday, September 26, 2016

DANTE IN LIGHT AND SHADOW X 2

This is a photo of Dante in September of 2014 taken during the day (believe it or not!).  The back yard was almost completely shaded by the crab apple and maple trees except for a brilliant spot of light where the sun broke through the canopy of leaves.

 For this version, I used a filter which added some 'soft noise'.  You can see that the photo appears to have some texture.


And in this version, I used the 'Watercolour Pencil' effect, so it looks more like a drawing.

Which one do you like best?





Saturday, September 24, 2016

DANTE ON 'THE ABLUTIONS OF AN ORANGE CAT '

Here is Dante in September of 2011 giving himself a little spit and PAWlish.

 Dante always liked to keep himself as clean as PAWSible.


 Just look at that tongue -- it was made for deep cleaning!


 A little nibble here and there helps to get even the toughest dirt out.


 "Sum peeple details cars -- I details myself!" remarked Dante, the PURRfectionist.



And then, when he was finally done, Dante hung himself out to dry.

"Is a good fing, I'm wash an' wear!" said he profoundly.





Tuesday, September 20, 2016

DANTE'S DADA (WHEN HE'S 64)

Today is Dante's Dada's 64th birthday and since Dante is not with us, we would like to relive a memory from Dada's birthday in 2012.

 Dada had always wanted a BMW and in 2012 he got one.  It was second-hand and a 2009 model, but had low mileage and he loved it!

 As if the car wasn't enough Dada and Dante got some BMW purraphenalia, too.  They are both wearing BMW-branded shirts!


Dante and Dada were very close.  Dante always waited for Dada to get up in the morning, and positioned himself on the penultimate bottom step to await his pats.  Dante would mew like a kitten as Dada descended the stairs.

Dante always preferred Dada's rougher petting to mine, although I'm sure he appreciated my more gentle touch as well.

I put together the birthday card, above, on the computer, and wrote a poem.  Here is just one of the verses:

"At least you have the memories of
Our Dante and his kitty love
He was such a remarkable cat
Who delighted in your manly pat"


Dante gave his Dada and I the best gift possible -- fourteen and a half years of pure joy and wonder!   And his pictures enable us to keep that joy and wonder in PURRpetuity.






Monday, September 19, 2016

DANTE: CALENDAR BOY FOR SEPTEMBER

This photo was taken in September of 2010 and became the picture for that month in his calendar for 2016.


I'm not someone who believes in PURRfection, but this is as close to it as you're going to get!



Friday, September 16, 2016

DANTE IS COPPURRNIPUSS!

Dante's fur turned different colours in varying conditions.  Under the late afternoon sun, especially this time of year, it turned distinctly copper and sparkled in the light.

These pictures are from 2012 when Dante was enjoying a particularly nice September day outside on his favourite porch chair.

 And Dante had a sparkling PURRsonality to match!

 As a red tabby cat he already had so many different tones of dark and light in his fur.


 But in the bright sun, even more shadings and textures are revealed.


Here his puss is truly coppery, and that's why, at least to me, he'll forever be my 'Coppurrnipuss'!




Thursday, September 15, 2016

DANTE: HERE COMES THE SUN ... FLOWERS!

There are still some sunny days ahead, as well as lots and lots of sunflowers, too.

Dante always loved this time of year, so I like to think of him as being perpetually in a field of sunflowers and basking (along with them) in the light of the sun.


Simply deLIGHTful!

Monday, September 12, 2016

DANTE'S TRIPLE-TAKE!

Here are three shots of Dante from September 2012 taken within seconds of each other.

 He is very composed (as is the picture).


 He is also quite pensive.


But the third take is my favourite.  It's a look of love.  I could stare into those eyes forever.

His pictures are Dante's immortality.


Saturday, September 10, 2016

KING DANTE JUST LION AROUND!

And here's a stunner from September of 2010.

Dante is looking particularly leonine in this shot.  He was definitely King of his own jungle!

And as you can see, Dante's lineage is totally without question.


Friday, September 9, 2016

DANTE: CLOSE ENCOUNTER OF THE RODENT KIND, No.1

This is a shot taken in the fall of 2009.  When Dante was younger I used to dress him up from time-to-time for photoshoots.  He, like his sister Domino, was very amenable to the whole thing and always cooperated to the fullest.  He was very comfortable in clothing as long is it didn't hinder his movement.

Here Dante meets up with a member of a completely different species -- of the rodent kind!

It's quite an 'arresting' moment when the squirrel unexpectedly asserts his animal-citizen's rights.



"Put yoor paws up an' stand against dat tree", says the squirrel.  "I'm takin' yoo in fur promotin' gang activity in the 'hood."


"Because I'm bad, I'm bad - come on
(Bad bad - really, really bad)
You know I'm bad, I'm bad - you know it
(Bad bad - really, really bad)
You know I'm bad, I'm bad - come on - you know it ..."

(from Michael Jackson's song "Bad")




Monday, September 5, 2016

DANTE: AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT!

I took this picture of Dante's tail in 2010 when it was at its fluffiest.
Only after I saw it on the computer screen did I realize that it resembled something completely different.  Can you see a face in there?


This is what I saw ...



... a Shih Tzu!

Saturday, September 3, 2016

DANTE: CANADIAN IDYLL!

Here are a couple of pictures of Dante taken in early September 2014.

 He was standing beside our neighbour's tree in the front.  How idyllic!


Then there was this rustling noise and Dante looked up ...

...  only to get a raspberry from this cheeky fellow!
You know what they say about idle tongues, don't you?

Thursday, September 1, 2016

DANTE: THE BEASTLINESS OF BEAUTY

This is a Dante classic from late summer 2010.


He's always the focal point even when he's focused elsewhere.
Beauty is the beast!